Method of securing buttons



Oct. 27, 1964 H. FIMMEL 3 METHOD OF SECURING BUTTONS Filed Dec. 29, 1960 I NY aw TO RI l/elhz fihwve! w ix i United States Patent 3,154,036 METHOD OF SECURING BUTTGNS Heinz Fimmel, Pflaumheim Via Aschafienburg (Main),

Germany, assignor to Novapax G.rn.b.H., Berlin, Germany, and Melina S.A., Fribourg, Switzerland, both firms Filed Dec. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 79,290 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-465) This invention relates to buttons, and more specifically to a button without fastening holes, for use with garments and linen of all kinds, which is made of a suitable synthetic plastic material.

Buttons have already become known wherein a circular middle zone is pierceable and apt for sewing because the button disc having a central hole is provided with a pierceable covering. Also, especially for use with chlidrens wear, soft and flexible button discs have been made of a plurality of fabric layers which are bonded by a water-insoluble synthetic thermoplastic material to form a circular flexible disc.

Buttons of this type may, of course, be pierced even if there are no holes in the button, but permit only a very limited use thereof, because, on the one hand, the thread of sewing-cotton does not closely engage the body of the button proper and is likely to tear even with the exertion of but a slight tensile stress, whereas, on the other hand, the more or less flexible button when more heavily stressed is subject to deformation and may slip through the buttonhole.

Of like disadvantage would also be a button which is altogether made of a soft synthetic plastic material.

It is the object of the present invention to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a button of synthetic plastic material without fastening holes, which comprises a hard border zone and a soft middle zone which latter is pierceable and thus apt for sewing.

The middle zone which may be rendered pierceable and apt for sewing by the increased addition of plasticizing agents or by subsequent heating, may have a neck-like extension of likewise soft synthetic plastic material.

The middle zone has conveniently a reduced thickness with respect to the border zone. It has been found to be of particular advantage to provide the middle zone on at least one side with a coaxially arranged depression.

The reduced thickness of the middle zone allows quick heating of the latter and thus affords considerable advantages, particularly when a mechanical sewing-on is contemplated.

According to an important feature of the invention, between two rigid discs of hard synthetic plastic material having corresponding central holes, there is interposed a third disc of soft synthetic plastic material and of slightly reduced diameter, which allows to be pierced and sewn on and is bonded with the two rigid discs by heating to form an integral button body.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of and a crossscction through a button for use with linen;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of and a cross-section through a button provided with a neck-like extension for use with upper wear, and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of and a cross-section through a modified button.

3,154,036 Patented Oct. 27., 1964 "ice FIG. 1 shows a button which has a border zone 1 of hard synthetic plastic material and a circular middle zone 2 which is made of a soft elastic synthetic plastic material apt to be pierced and sewn on at 3. In the front side of the button a coaxial depression 2a is provided.

According to FIG. 2, a button for use with upper wear has a border zone 4 of hard synthetic plastic material and a middle zone 6 consisting of a soft pierceable synthetic plastic material which may optionally be converted, by subsequent heating, from its originally hard consistency into a soft pliable state apt for sewing. One the rear side of the button a neck-like extension 5 is formed to ensure, when the buttom is being sewn on, a predetermined distance between the button and the fabric of the garment. The button has in its front side a depression 6a.

In FIG. 3 a modified form of a button is shown a border zone 7 of hard synthetic plastic material and a middle zone 8 of soft synthetic plastic material, a depression 7a in its front side and a thread of sewing-cotton 9.

In all the embodiments shown and described, the rigid non-flexible border zone and the soft pierceable middle zone are made integral of one and the same synthetic plastic material. The middle zone can be rendered apt for sewing by an increased addition of plasticizing agents if the border zone and the middle zone are manufactured with the aid of two nozzles.

It is, however, also possible to heat the unperforated button to a temperature of approximately C. whereby its consistency becomes pliable and, consequently, pierceable and apt for sewing. After cooling, the normal strength of the button which may be sewn on either mechanically or by hand is immediately restored.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

The method of sewing buttons onto fabric or the like comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting an imperforate button including a rigid outer border zone of plastic material and an inner, relatively thinner, imperforate plastic middle zone surrounded by said border zone and normally impeding penetration of a needle therethrough;

(b) softening said plastic middle zone to a condition permitting the penetration of a needle therethrough;

(c) stitching said button to the fabric by means of passing a needle and thread through said softened plastic middle zone; and

(d) permitting said middle zone to return to its original, hardened condition closely adhering to the stitches passing therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 305,620 Mayer Sept. 23, 1884 748,287 Kirchhoff Dec. 29, 1903 866,817 Schloss Sept. 24, 1907 Bther references on foliowing page) J: UNITED STATES PATENTS Barron Sept. 16, 1919 Segall Nov. 25, 1919 Rehor Mar. 1, 1927 Anderson Apr. 13, 1937 Statham Mar. 16, 1948 Weyl May 24, 1949 41 Silberkraus July 8, 1952 Statham Dec. 9, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia June 2, 1955 France Aug. 22, 1951 Great Britain of 1912 Sweden Mar. 14, 1944 

